The Biographical Dictionary of America/Abbett, Leon

ABBETT, Leon, governor of New Jersey, was born in Philadelphia. Pa., Oct. 8, 1836. He attended the public schools of Philadelphia; studied law under John W. Ashmead, and was admitted to the bar in 1857, engaging in practice with his instructor. He removed to Hoboken, N.J., in 1859: became corporation counsel for Jersey City, and continued practice in New York city with W. J. Fuller, until 1866, when he settled in Jersey City. He was elected to the state assembly as a Democrat in 1868; filled the speaker's chair, 1869-70; was secretary of the Democratic National convention at Baltimore, Md., in 1872, and a delegate to the convention at St. Louis, Mo., in 1876. He was a state senator, 1874-77; president of that body in 1877, and twice governor of New Jersey, serving, 1885-92. He became a judge of the supreme court of New Jersey in 1893. He received the degree LL.D. from the College of New Jersey in 1884. He died in Jersey City, N.J., Dec. 4, 1894.